ISLAMABAD: A group show of artworks by 24 artists in different genres - painting, print, sculpture, ceramics and photography - opened at Gallery6 on Friday.

Gujlomeration is a body of artworks, some very outstanding and striking, done by faculty and alumni of Gujrat University’s School of Art, Design and Architecture.

“Artists are true representatives of a country. An artist should be a thinker and not mere product maker,” said R.M. Naeem, a leading visual artist who had travelled all the way from Lahore to open the show.

He asked the artists to work with passion and dedication to create masterpieces that impact society.

“We have a lot of talented artists but the system is not supportive,” he added.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Naeem said in today’s highly commercialised world, art and artist cannot survive and flourish without the support and patronage of state, corporate sector and affluent people.

Mr Naeem, who believes in art for life, said it was the state’s responsibility to give hope to creative people. He suggested that art should be taught in schools and colleges as compulsory subject to counter extremism.

“I see a lot of spark in the upcoming artists but sadly those are not translated into a fire,” commented veteran artist and curator Dr Arjumand Faisal.

He advised the artists to develop critical thinking which is prerogative for creating unique art pieces.

Wajid Ali Daharkiwal in his painting Piyo Magar Pyar Se has depicted a truck driver’s life symbolically, showing a kettle pouring colourful trucks into a cup with tyres as biscuits.

The artist, himself the son of a driver, has an emotional attachment with people associated with the profession.

Wajid, has decorated 600 feet long walls of new Islamabad airport with truck art.

Che Mei Goeeya’n, a three-piece wood sculpture by Asif Shareef, who is the the head of the department, strikes a visitor immediately. Depicting three men in conversation aptly represents the current situation in society where people spread rumours and stories through various media.

Noorul Ain has painted landscape of Gujrat in oil on canvas while Irsha Butt’s paintings shows a “glorious abandoned castle” sinking into its own dry well, depicting the crumbling heritage of Multan.

Vicissitudes, a sculpture by Ghafar Mohiudin, has been made through low fire gaze on red terracotta and has 3D printing with wheel throwing.

Hina Bashir’s sculpture Enlightenment is also in terracotta while Ahsan Ahmad’s Bibaji is an interesting piece done in red glazed clay showing carves of bangles adorned by Rajhastani women on their arms.

Majid Ghafoor’s Multan Clock Tower done in coffee on canvas and Mohammad Junaid’s oil paintings on dome-shaped acrylic structures with figures were also the main attraction for the viewers.

Aliya Amjad’s Heirloom of Pakistan on wasli compels the visitors to glance at the art through an unexpected window like projection.

Habib Akram’s imagery of a man with the face covered by a plastic bag indicates suffocation in society because of the restrictions on expression and environmental degradation.

Mirza Tauqeer Baig in Hope and Light in his iconic style depicts an old man from the working class with powerful expressions.

Aniqa Ikram in her miniature work Repeat the tradition II series has intelligently used bright and subtle colours and different patterns drawn from various regions of Pakistan.

Haroon Habib’s three photographs show street life of Pakistan.

The exhibition will continue till September 3.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2019